Astronomy Newsletter 2/27/04

Here is the weekly newsletter from Astronomy Magazine, as requested by
some users:



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In the April issue
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Spirit lands at Gusev
Envisioning Mars
The lost years of Michael Turner
Jupiter at its best
When astrophotos go bad
Choosing a star atlas
Review of Konus's new Mak-Cass

Click here to preview the March issue of Astronomy:
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.36.155661

Click here to save $26 off of the annual newsstand rate:
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.2.155661


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Greetings
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We now offer our registered users an HTML or text version
of our weekly message. If you receive the HTML version
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Thanks to the many solar images submitted by our visitors,
we have a theme of "Here comes the Sun" in our Reader
gallery. It seems appropriate considering the song's writer,
the late George Harrison, would have turned 61 this week.
Check out the gallery section for these photos.

Thanks for reading, and keep looking up!

Jeremy McGovern
Editorial Assistant, Astronomy.com


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News
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Avoiding impacts
Our special coverage of the 2004 Planetary Defense Conference.
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.4.155661

Ring around the supernova
Hubble catches a light show from a supernova's shock wave.
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.5.155661

2004 DW: The largest Kuiper Belt Object?
Astronomers discover an icy world at the fringes of the
solar system.
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.6.155661

February astro bytes
More from Mars, a nearby planetary nursery, estimating
planetary formation, and more...
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.7.155661


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Reader gallery
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Jack Newton shot Sunspot 564 from his base at the Arizona
Sky Village.
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.10.155661

A rare occurence and real treat, Anthony Ayiomamitis
provided us an analemma image captured in Greece.
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.11.155661

Dave Mitsky imaged a Sun pillar on the evening of February 17
in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.12.155661

Ralf Vandebergh of Wittem, Netherlands, shot a large solar
prominence on January 21.
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.13.155661

And finally, Don Parker sent a view of a sunspot group captured
from his home in Coral Gables, Florida.
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.14.155661

If you have images you'd like to share with other
newsletter readers, attach them to an e-mail sent to
. Make sure you include
the date, location, equipment, and methods used in
taking and processing each image in your e-mail.


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Explore cosmology's greatest mysteries!
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ALL-NEW collector's issue from the editors of Astronomy
Magazine!

In The Origin & Fate of the Universe you'll get the
best and latest visions of the world's leading
cosmology experts. Articles include:

-Michael Turner discusses how the universe is structured,
including how dark energy and dark matter dominate.

-Edward Witten gives readers an inside look at string
theory and how it has changed the fundamental
understanding of matter.

-Mario Livio explains what the accelerating universe
is telling astronomers about the Big Bang, dark energy,
and the beauty of the natural world.

-Ray Villard gazes into the future of the Large-aperture
Synoptic Survey Telescope and what it will tell us about
the fate of everything.

And much more!

Click here to order:
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Tonight's sky
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Star-hopping in Lepus the Hare
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.18.155661

U Geminorum
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.16.155661

Catch a Bright Satellite
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.17.155661


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Reader forums
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Do you have a question about astronomy or want to share
your latest observing report? Astronomy offers our forums
for your convenience. Post a question and learn from
our audience of savvy astronomy enthusiasts.

Here are two ongoing discussions currently in the
Astronomy.com forums...

Topic: Thoughts on Europa
Started by: huntmanc15

"Just wondering what you guys think about Jupiter's moon
Europa. I've been reading about it since it was discovered
that Europa was covered in ice. I think its very intriguing
at the possibility of an ocean beneath this ice, where
scientist think life could exsist."
Click here to read full thread and comment:
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.19.155661

Topic: Messier goal
Started by: zachj1212

"I am starting a new challenge: to find all of the messiers.
Has anyone here done this? Please tell me your experiences!"
Click here to read full thread and comment:
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.20.155661


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Reader polls
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This week's Astronomy.com reader poll

Poll question: Is it time for NASA to use nuclear reactors in space?

Yes. Solar panels and radioisotope thermoelectric
generators (RTGs) don't cut it anymore.
Maybe. However developing better RTGs should come first.
No. Absolutely no nukes in space!

Click here to vote, view results, and share your
comments:
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.21.155661

Last week's reader poll results
Thank you for participating in last week's reader poll!
Here are the question and results:

Poll question: How do you access the Internet?

Responses: 1,160

27%: Home dial-up modem (56K)
60%: Home broadband (DSL or cable)
1%: Employer dial up
6%: Employer broadband
5%: School, library, etc.
1%: Wireless device (cell phone, PDA, etc.)

Click here to vote, view results, and share your
comments:
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.22.155661


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Included in the Astronomy Newsletter of 2/27/04:

snip

Topic: Messier goal

"I am starting a new challenge: to find all of the messiers.
Has anyone here done this? Please tell me your experiences!"
Click here to read full thread and comment:
http://list.astronomy.com/UM/T.asp?A12.80.36.20.155661

unsnip

Okay fellow s.a.a.'ers, control yourselves!

This is a stand-alone example of the big difference between "Astronomy" and
"Sky & Telescope."


Just my opinion,


Martin
Remove "ilikestars" from email address

This is a stand-alone example of the big difference between "Astronomy" and
"Sky & Telescope."


Hi Martin:

Well, yeah. But that doesn't mean this is a bad thing. There's room for a
magazine on this level--Skypub's starting one that's aimed at new
observers/novices even moreso than Astronomy, after all.

What is it that I don't like about Astronomy Magazine? David Eicher is changing
things--albeit slowly--but in recent years under the "leadership" of their
former editor, the magazine was being transformed into a Discover Magazine for
astronomy. Articles about equipment and observing were given the short
shrift--at best. Even under new management, what Astronomy calls "hobby" (!)
articles are pretty much ghettoized to the back of the magazine.


Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

One thing I will say in favor of Astronomy magazine, after they fired Bonnie
whats-her name-as editor in chief, the magazine has improved.
Orion

"Rod Mollise" wrote in message
...

This is a stand-alone example of the big difference between "Astronomy"
and
"Sky & Telescope."


Hi Martin:

Well, yeah. But that doesn't mean this is a bad thing. There's room for a
magazine on this level--Skypub's starting one that's aimed at new
observers/novices even moreso than Astronomy, after all.

What is it that I don't like about Astronomy Magazine? David Eicher is
changing
things--albeit slowly--but in recent years under the "leadership" of their
former editor, the magazine was being transformed into a Discover Magazine
for
astronomy. Articles about equipment and observing were given the short
shrift--at best. Even under new management, what Astronomy calls "hobby"
(!)
articles are pretty much ghettoized to the back of the magazine.


Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html


---
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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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Orion wrote:
One thing I will say in favor of Astronomy magazine, after they fired Bonnie
whats-her name-as editor in chief, the magazine has improved.

Now I have the dilemma of 'feeling' that I will miss out if I don't
renew my subscription in July!